5x Class 153 conversion to bike and baggage vans for Scotrail

[Tobbes]

That's a render. Looks good, though. Almost European!

Agree, this looks excellent. More than happy to hang my bike up

 

[py_megapixel]

It would appear to me that the left hand side is marked out for non-hanging bike use if you prefer that.

I thought that was for cases and possibly more ski equipment but on second thoughts I think you're right.

 

[43096]

Oh dear - stupid bike rack where you have to hang the bike by the front wheel. Why couldn't they have blocked off the windows on one side, installed a proper horizontal bike rack, put the racks for bags and (seemingly) ski equipment above the bike storage and then had the corridor going down the other side?
You'd think they would be able to get this right on a carriage fitted out specifically for this purpose, but no...

Just no pleasing some people is there? They could of course just not have bothered with any extra accommodation for bikes at all, given that the bikes themselves make zero revenue.

 

[py_megapixel]

Just no pleasing some people is there? They could of course just not have bothered with any extra accommodation for bikes at all, given that the bikes themselves make zero revenue.

It's not that whatever is done cyclists aren't pleased. It's that these hanging bike racks have been an issue, and a well-known one at that, since they were introduced, and TOCs don't seem to do anything about it.

 

[43096]

It's not that whatever is done cyclists aren't pleased. It's that these hanging bike racks have been an issue, and a well-known one at that, since they were introduced, and TOCs don't seem to do anything about it.

Perhaps they are trying to fit in the maximum number of spaces possible given the constraints around space, vehicle loading restrictions etc?

It does come across as being displeased whatever is done. I'll repeat: the bikes themselves are zero revenue and you might argue the space for them in many cases would be better off used for revenue generation i.e. more seats.

 

[Tobbes]

Perhaps they are trying to fit in the maximum number of spaces possible given the constraints around space, vehicle loading restrictions etc?

It does come across as being displeased whatever is done. I'll repeat: the bikes themselves are zero revenue and you might argue the space for them in many cases would be better off used for revenue generation i.e. more seats.

I say again as a cyclist, I'm delighted that more provision has been made, and the simple fact is that hangin bikes up allows for more bikes to be carried in the same space. Yes, it can take longer to take them down, but the timings on the WHL are hardly going to be impacted by occassionally slightly longer dwell times. And yes, you can't hang tandems like this, but there aren't many about and those that do appear should be accomodated on the left-hand area.

As a cyclist, I'm grateful and look forward to using this facility next summer - we should be grateful to ScotRail/SG.

 

[cyclebike]

I agree that while the hanging hook isn’t the perfect solution, in my opinion the issue with the other UK implementations of this method have been that they also involve being located inside a cupboard. Thinking of IETs and XC Voyagers. A hook located in an open carriage, not in a cramped cupboard, should be significantly easier

 

[najaB]

It's that these hanging bike racks have been an issue, and a well-known one at that, since they were introduced, and TOCs don't seem to do anything about it.

The alternative would be to carry fewer bikes.

 

[Bald Rick]

Those skis are HUGE!

 

[JohnMcL7]

I say again as a cyclist, I'm delighted that more provision has been made, and the simple fact is that hangin bikes up allows for more bikes to be carried in the same space. Yes, it can take longer to take them down, but the timings on the WHL are hardly going to be impacted by occassionally slightly longer dwell times. And yes, you can't hang tandems like this, but there aren't many about and those that do appear should be accomodated on the left-hand area.

As a cyclist, I'm grateful and look forward to using this facility next summer - we should be grateful to ScotRail/SG.

As a cyclist I'm definitely grateful to Scotrail and hoping to be able to make use of them next summer as well.

 

[pdeaves]

I would hope that there is at least some (two or three) non-hanging bike provision. I cannot lift my bike high enough with accuracy to get a hook; I simply don't have the right upper body strength. I'm sure I'm not the only one in that position so whilst it's moot to me how much provision there is (I doubt I will ever be in the area again to want to use them), it would be good for others.

 

[Anonymous10]

I've been made aware of this picture (courtesy of Network Rail). Seemingly the units have now been route cleared.

Looks smart kind of wish tfw done it on some of their services in Pembrokeshire and the heart of Wales line

 

[PHILIPE]

153’s route cleared and also the 158’s are cleared now too.

How long have 158s been cleared ?

 

[Speed43125]

How long have 158s been cleared ?

They've been cleared very recently, no more than a year IIRC. Can't point to a source I'm afraid, but I believe I read that somewhere.

 

[squizzler]

Oh dear - stupid bike rack where you have to hang the bike by the front wheel. Why couldn't they have blocked off the windows on one side, installed a proper horizontal bike rack, put the racks for bags and (seemingly) ski equipment above the bike storage and then had the corridor going down the other side?
You'd think they would be able to get this right on a carriage fitted out specifically for this purpose, but no...

I thought the render reminded me of something, and I found it. All the way from 1955 - check the bike loading scene from about 1:30 into the film:

"The Cycle Touring Commission of the International Touring Alliance decided this was *the*way to carry cycles by train." So there.

 

[marks87]

If this Kickstarter gets off the ground, racks like this would be ideal for these carriages (and possibly even trains in general).

(Video demonstrating a vertical bike rack where the front wheel is pushed in, and a hoist lifts the bike vertical)

 

[30907]

It's not that whatever is done cyclists aren't pleased. It's that these hanging bike racks have been an issue, and a well-known one at that, since they were introduced, and TOCs don't seem to do anything about it.

This is presumably an issue across Europe, as vertical racks of some sort seem to be common practice (on a random search)?

 

[mcmad]

They've been cleared very recently, no more than a year IIRC. Can't point to a source I'm afraid, but I believe I read that somewhere.

158's aren't shown as clear in the current (online) sectional appendix.

 

[Speed43125]

158's aren't shown as clear in the current (online) sectional appendix.

Then I could well be wrong. Only reporting what I (think I) have read.

 

[scotraildriver]

They are not yet cleared. Work is (was) ongoing at various platforms.

 

[haggishunter]

They are not yet cleared. Work is (was) ongoing at various platforms.

For clarity, do you mean the 158s or 153s or neither are cleared yet?

 

[Maxfly]

How long have 158s been cleared ?

Either cleared within last few days or will be Officially in next couple of days, all works complete though.

 

[hexagon789]

158's aren't shown as clear in the current (online) sectional appendix.

The publically available one always lags behind the official one in getting updated properly. The re-doubling north of Aberdeen was only included in the last update for instance.

Edit: though it appears that clearance has happened sufficiently recently it wouldn't have had time to be added anyway.

 

[ScotRail158725]

When have 158's been cleared for the West Highland Line since? No offense to 156's but if I ever do a trip on this line then it's either a loco-hauled charter train (steam or diesel) or the Caledonian Sleeper. Or a 158.

I like 156's but over 5 hours in one might be pushing it a bit.

I'm not sure where I read it but I believe Scotrail have said they won't operate 153's on there own.
Are these likely to be inserted into the 158's?

153s will be put between 2 156s on the whl, 158s arent cleared up the whl and wont be anytime soon, 153s cant be inserted into a 158 as 158s work on the far north/kyle on their own

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

153s will be put between 2 156s on the whl, 158s arent cleared up the whl and wont be anytime soon, 153s cant be inserted into a 158 as 158s work on the far north/kyle on their own

Right. I may change my mind as at least with a 156, as it's sometimes said on here, there's windows to open. I'll see what mood I'm in at the time .

 

[Bletchleyite]

153s will be put between 2 156s on the whl, 158s arent cleared up the whl and wont be anytime soon, 153s cant be inserted into a 158 as 158s work on the far north/kyle on their own

You physically can insert one into a 158[1] (though a gangway adapter plate is needed, as would be jumper cables) but I agree that won't happen, at least in the short term.

[1] Unless ScotRail have modified theirs to bar rather than BSI intermediate couplers, though that's not insurmountable.

 

[43096]

You physically can insert one into a 158[1] (though a gangway adapter plate is needed, as would be jumper cables) but I agree that won't happen, at least in the short term.

[1] Unless ScotRail have modified theirs to bar rather than BSI intermediate couplers, though that's not insurmountable.

They are not being inserted into sets anyway, they will run coupled to a standard 156 in the usual way on the WHL. Ultimately deployment is/was planned as 2 WHL, 2 north of Inverness, 1 spare/maintenance. So they will also multi with 158s.

 

[marks87]

Either cleared within last few days or will be Officially in next couple of days, all works complete though.

158s arent cleared up the whl and wont be anytime soon

Well one of you has to be wrong!

 

[LOM]

Well one of you has to be wrong!

The one who says that 158s have very recently been cleared is correct. This was done at the same time as the class 153 gauging workstream. Source is a post about the clearance project made by the gauging team on the Network Rail internal Yammer platform last Thursday.

 

[InOban]

I know that most of the gauging locations for the 153 also applied to the 158, so there was little extra to do to clear for both.

Also, with fewer trains there would have been more available time, so I think that it's been completed ahead of the original schedule. The dry spring must have helped, but that's all over now!